HP fined 1.4 billion rupees for “cartelization” of ink cartridges, toner, PCs

# HP fined 1.4 billion rupees for “cartelization” of ink cartridges, toner, PCs Source: [https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/07/hp-fined-1-4-billion-rupees-for-cartelization-of-ink-cartridges-toner-pcs/](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/07/hp-fined-1-4-billion-rupees-for-cartelization-of-ink-cartridges-toner-pcs/) The agency also fined 21 HP resellers 35\.2 million rupees \(about $365,335\)\. In a separate[order](https://www.cci.gov.in/antitrust/orders/details/1266/0), the CCI said that WhatsApp records showed that HP and 16 of its Tier\-2 reseller partners operated “in a collusive arrangement” and that the messages show the companies engaging in “bid rigging, including cover bidding, price fixation, and customer allocation during 2017–2020\.” HP India played a central role, the regulator said\. Per the order, HP India said that high printing supply prices led some resellers to threaten to “shift to low\-cost counterfeit products to compete on price\.” “HP India was commercially forced into a position where it had to support the collusive arrangement adopted by the Tier\-2 resellers,” the order reads\. For its part, the order said that HP India “humbly objects to HP India’s role being characterized as a ‘kingpin’ of the entire collusive arrangement\.” Still, the revelation that some HP resellers are struggling with the exorbitant price of printer ink and toner underscores a problem many printer users face\. The economic challenge is exacerbated by HP’s tendency to[block third\-party ink](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/03/hp-has-new-incentive-to-stop-blocking-third-party-ink-in-its-printers/)in already\-purchased printers[through firmware updates](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/firmware-update-bricks-hp-printers-makes-them-unable-to-use-hp-cartridges/)\. At the same time, with even its own partners threatening to take their ink business elsewhere, HP is pressured to get more HP printer users to only use HP\-brand ink and toner\. The CCI also ordered HP India and its channel partners to “cease and desist from anti\-competitive conduct” and to hold competition compliance training programs within 60 days\. HP hasn’t publicly commented on the fines\.